On Uesugi Kenshin's chariot, Nero cradled a groggy Beatrice, listening as the Sphinx laid out her plan.
As a Heroic Spirit with near-total knowledge of the Singularity, the Sphinx had crafted a flawless strategy to take down Pavone. She was now briefing the group on the details—a tightly woven plan with counters for every one of Pavone's powers. If followed to the letter, nothing could go wrong.
But time was no longer on their side. Many of the plan's tactics were now unusable. Take the Demon God Pillar, for instance. The original strategy was to hit it with everything they had before Pavone woke, ensuring its destruction. But with time running out, they had to fall back on an old trick: one person would hold off the Pillar while the rest used the precious minutes left to tackle Pavone.
And now, with Georgios dead, Mephisto turned traitor, and Okuni staying behind to cover their retreat, their options were slim. Hernan's power was no match for the Pillar, and the Sphinx and Perseus were indispensable for facing Pavone. That left only Kriemhild, Uesugi Kenshin, and…
"I'll take on the Demon God Pillar," Nero volunteered.
In her hand, she clutched a blood-red magic stone, formed from the demonic aura purified by Georgios's Noble Phantasm in the town. Nero had a hunch that swallowing it would push the magic stone growing in her chest to new heights. But facing the source of that aura at the same time? That gave her pause.
Still, a Demon God Pillar sounded a lot like the "Savior" she'd taken down before.
"So, about delaying it," Nero added with a smirk, "if I happen to kill it, no big deal, right?"
"If you can pull that off, all the better," the Sphinx replied, casting a worried glance. "But don't push yourself too hard. A Demon God Pillar's power outclasses most Heroic Spirits."
At that moment, Uesugi Kenshin, steering the chariot, spoke up. "My apologies, Master."
"What's up?" Ritsuka turned to her.
"As a Rider, my greatest strength lies in this chariot. But that cave is too narrow for it to charge through."
Nero's heart sank. Great… looks like my shot at playing rearguard just got snatched.
Kenshin's reasoning was airtight, and in the face of it, Nero had no choice but to shelve her plan to absorb the magic stone for now.
But Kenshin's next words caught everyone off guard.
"After I get you to the cave, I'll double back to rescue Lady Okuni."
"This…" Ritsuka hesitated for a moment, then closed her eyes and nodded. "Alright. Lady Okuni… and the Demon God Pillar Foras are in your hands."
She didn't say it out loud, but everyone on the chariot shared the same grim thought: Okuni's Spirit Origin had likely already dissipated, returning to the Throne of Heroes. Even so, Ritsuka approved Kenshin's request, giving her a better excuse.
Stop Foras. Keep it from reinforcing the enemy.
"Thank you," Kenshin said.
But this meant one less fighter against Pavone. The Sphinx's brow furrowed, her expression grim.
As the chariot thundered forward, the stars visibly shifted in the sky. They were returning to normal time, racing toward the darkness before dawn.
One and a half hours left. Mephisto's fabricated Noble Phantasm had cost them precious time in a slowed-down world. The black coastline loomed ahead, the tranquil sea reflecting a moon about to sink, shattering its light into a golden shimmer.
A massive shadow towered under the moonlight. Against the glow, its jagged, blackened form looked like a cactus sprouting from the reefs.
"I'm staying too," Hernan declared suddenly, facing the looming Demon God Pillar. "My ship's here. This is the only place I can fight at full strength."
Her Noble Phantasm wasn't suited for a beast like Pavone anyway. Ritsuka nodded.
"Alright. She's in your care."
Nero handed Beatrice to Hernan. "Keep her safe."
Then, she leaped from the chariot, soaring high and closing in on the Pillar.
No matter how confident she was, Nero knew she couldn't protect Beatrice while fighting a Demon God Pillar. She'd accidentally brought her out of Georgios's light barrier into this demon-infested land—she had to take responsibility.
Hernan, with her ship-based Noble Phantasm, was the perfect person to entrust Beatrice to… even if that ship wasn't exactly seaworthy.
"I'm off too. Master, you all be careful," Hernan said, jumping from the chariot and vanishing into the forest. She'd head back to her warship, ready to support Nero with cannon fire.
"Let's move!"
The chariot surged forward, crashing through the forest toward the cave guarded by the Demon God Pillar.
Meanwhile, Nero was already in position.
"What… are you?"
The Pillar, puzzled by this human radiating demonic energy, questioned her sudden charge. Nero had zero interest in answering. She drew her Enma Blade, unleashed the magic within her, and let out a battle cry—
"Farewell, happy land, joyous and wondrous home!"
Leaping high like a shooting star, Nero plummeted, her Enma Blade aimed straight at the Pillar's massive form.
"Pointless."
Raum's square eyes glared, unleashing a barrage of black rays.
But Nero was ready. She swung her blade, tearing the air itself. Slipping through the rift, she reappeared right beneath Raum.
Compared to the towering, building-sized Pillar, Nero was a speck. Yet that tiny speck commanded Raum's full attention, letting Kenshin's chariot slip past.
Because Nero struck again.
"Rejoice, terror!"
Her blade bit into the Pillar's body, drawing a real wound. Raum summoned its overwhelming magical power, igniting purple flames across the ground, but Nero was already gone, darting to its other side.
"Rejoice, you underworld fiend!"
Her blade sank into the Pillar again. But it was just too massive—her Enma Blade was like a toothpick, unable to reach its core.
Still, Nero—this tiny, infuriating fly—had thoroughly pissed off Raum.